


beauty of a secret

by Sophia_Clark



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Alternate Universe - Post-War, Auror Harry Potter, Christmas Fluff, Co-workers, Embarrassment, Enemies to Friends to Lovers, Getting to Know Each Other, HP: EWE, Humor, Innuendo, M/M, Ministry of Magic, POV Harry Potter, Pre-Slash, Secret Santa, Slow Burn, To Be Continued
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2011-12-04
Updated: 2011-12-04
Packaged: 2018-11-14 11:36:01
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 1,443
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11207277
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sophia_Clark/pseuds/Sophia_Clark
Summary: Harry is distressed when he learns who he must get a gift for in the office Secret Santa exchange.





	1. The Not-So-Secret Thoughts of a Secret Santa

**Author's Note:**

> Written for [dracoharry100](http://dracoharry100.livejournal.com/)'s 2011 Christmas Challenge prompts on lj.
> 
> Title from _Strange Love_ by Halsey.
> 
>  **Disclaimer:** Harry Potter characters are the property of J.K. Rowling and Bloomsbury/Scholastic. No profit is being made, and no copyright infringement is intended.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Written for [dracoharry100](http://dracoharry100.livejournal.com/)'s 2011 Christmas Challenge prompt - _Secret Santa_.

For the fifth year in a row, the Department of Magical Law Enforcement was having a Secret Santa gift exchange. It had been a smashing success every year, promoting both inter-department bonding as well as holiday spirit. All the employees really got into it, whether their gifts were thoughtful or funny, expensive or home-made. As a newly-instated Auror fresh from training, this would be Harry's first year participating, and he had been quite as excited as everyone else until about two minutes prior when his assignment was delivered to him via Ministry Memo.

He stared at the name on the lavender piece of parchment with wide eyes, dread pooling in his stomach. How was he going to find a gift suitable for _him?_ It would be beyond impossible. The man already had everything! Besides, while they didn't hate each other anymore, they certainly weren't buddies either. He sighed heavily. _I suppose I really shouldn't be surprised though._

It was always Malfoy.

Malfoy worked in the Improper Use of Magic Office, so Harry didn't have much day-to-day interaction with him. It wasn't often that an underage witch or wizard did something that warranted Auror involvement, after all. He occasionally saw the man in the halls, at the lifts, or in the cafeteria, but even those were mere glimpses. Malfoy was a man in motion, never staying in one place for longer than necessary.

Not that Harry had _meant_ to pay attention to Malfoy's habits or anything. He had always just been super-aware of Malfoy, ever since their first day at Hogwarts. Back then, it was for protection; if Harry knew where Malfoy was at all times, the ferret couldn't sneak up on him. Now it seemed this awareness was so ingrained in Harry that, try as he might, he could not stop himself from watching Malfoy.

Just as he couldn't stop himself from liking what he saw.

Harry sighed again and rubbed at his face with both hands to dispel those thoughts. It would not help matters whatsoever to start down that path right now. Yes, Malfoy was looking rather fit these days, and yes, he was as intriguing as ever to Harry, but dwelling on those facts would not get him any closer to finding a present for the prat. He needed to concentrate, dammit!

But just then, the object of Harry's wayward thoughts went strutting past Harry's cubicle toward the lifts. Without making a conscious decision to move, Harry found himself following after Malfoy, all the while staring at the man's perfect arse. _Wait just a second! Did I just call Malfoy's arse perfect? And why am I looking at it in the first place?_

Before Harry could think on this any further, however, the lift doors opened and Malfoy entered. No one else was in the small space. He turned towards the buttons and, spotting Harry standing there (and now staring at his crotch), paused.

When after several seconds Harry continued to just stand there speechless, with the vacant expression of a troll on his face, Malfoy raised an eyebrow at him and smirked his patented smirk.

"Going down, Potter?" he drawled, his voice low and silky. Harry finally looked up to meet amused grey eyes and felt an unwelcome blush he feared would rival Ron's hair spread over his cheeks.

"What? N-no! Not just now, Malfoy," he spluttered. _Merlin's saggy fucking ball sack! How can I even show my face around Malfoy now, let alone be his Secret Santa?!? He'll never let me live this down!_

As if confirming his thoughts, Malfoy just smirked at him again, and blushing an even deeper crimson, Harry turned and fled.


	2. The Key to Any Owl's Heart

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Written for [dracoharry100](http://dracoharry100.livejournal.com/)'s 2011 Christmas Challenge prompt - _An owl comes in from the cold_.

The next day found Harry still very much embarrassed about the whole staring/stammering/smirking (on Malfoy's part) incident, and it was with great horror that he woke up to realize it was only Friday. Usually, this was cause for celebration, but he was sure to run into that great prat at some point and he didn't want to face him at the moment. He just knew that Malfoy would rub what had happened in his face somehow. He wished more than anything that he could skip the whole day and move on to the weekend.

As he lay in his warm bed and contemplated never getting out of it again, a sharp _tap tap tap_ sounded from the window. Groaning, he reached blindly for his wand and let the delivery bird inside with a flick. Along with the owl and its message, a bitter chill poured into the room, causing Harry to shiver. He gave another flick to close the window and snuggled back down under the covers.

Not two minutes later, however, he was once again disturbed from his lovely cocoon of slumber by the now warm and dry owl. The winged menace gave a loud screech and landed on Harry's blanket-covered leg. Harry sat up immediately but was still too slow for the owl's liking, who proceeded to peck unkindly at his exposed hip. With a pained yell, Harry tore the letter off the bird's leg and shooed the thing away.

"Get off of me, you mangy brute!" Harry scowled heavily and the owl scowled right back, amber eyes flashing. He then flew over to perch on the back of a chair, hooting indignantly at being referred to as "mangy." He ruffled his deep brown feathers threateningly.

"Stupid bloody owl," Harry muttered under his breath. Whoever had sent the thing would definitely be getting an earful from him about choosing their pets more carefully. He glanced down at the letter in his hand and froze. A large wax seal adorned the back of the envelope, an ornate looking M in the center.

The Malfoy family crest.

With slightly trembling fingers, Harry opened the letter which he was certain would spell out his doom. In Malfoy's clear, neat script, it read:

> Dear Potter,
> 
> I hope you have no hard feelings about yesterday. I just could not help myself, and you really should have seen your face! It was absolutely priceless.
> 
> But enough of that for now. Believe it or not, by writing this letter I am offering the metaphorical olive branch in the hopes that you might agree to have tea with me tomorrow afternoon. I uncomfortably find myself questioning many of the things I always thought I knew about you, and I very much despise being in the dark.
> 
> I would like for the two of us to put aside boyhood rivalries and war affiliations and really get to know each other. I have changed a great deal since our time at Hogwarts, as I am sure you have also. We may be more alike than we think. Who knows? One day we might even be friends.
> 
> Please send your reply about tea either way and know that I will not begrudge you if you do not wish to come. I realize this may be difficult, but I honestly believe it would do us both some good. Please consider it.
> 
> With kind regards,
> 
> Lord D. Malfoy
> 
> P.S. Do be nice to Mercurius, he is getting on in years and I do not want him under any stress!

Harry stared down at the letter in utter bemusement. "Who's Mercurius?" he said aloud blankly. A hoot and some rustling made him look up at the owl still sat across the room. "Oh, you," he huffed. Mercurius gave an angry screech and, sensing danger, Harry quickly pulled some owl treats out of his bedside drawer and tossed them over. The bird caught them deftly and began munching away at once. Almost immediately his entire body relaxed and he gave a soft hoot of pleasure. Harry sighed in relief.

Turning his attention back to Malfoy's letter, Harry ran a hand through his hair, making it stick up in every direction. Malfoy wanted to have him over for tea? He wanted them to be friends? This was so unexpected that Harry was glad he was already sitting down; his legs were feeling a bit wobbly. After getting caught out by Malfoy yesterday, this was absolutely the last thing he would ever have thought to hear from him.

Lost in thought, Harry did not notice Mercurius approaching until the owl was on top of his leg again, this time nudging his arm and hooting softly, hoping for another tasty treat. Harry chuckled lightly and gave him a pat on the head.

Harry was quite certain he and Mercurius would be getting along just fine from here on out, but the real question was, could he ever hope to get along with the owl's befuddling master?

**Author's Note:**

> My [tumblr](http://ignorethosewarningsigns.tumblr.com/) (ignorethosewarningsigns.tumblr.com)


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